Liberal riding exec condemns Trudeau move to block candidate, seeks review

OTTAWA – Justin Trudeau’s decision to block a candidate who wanted to run for the Liberal party in the coming Trinity-Spadina byelection has been condemned by the riding’s Liberal executive members.

They say the move to block Christine Innes, a two-time failed candidate in the riding and wife of former MP Tony Ianno, was undemocratic and amounts to the leader breaking his promise of open nomination meetings in all ridings.

The executive voted at an urgent meeting late Wednesday to condemn the move and request a meeting with Trudeau to review the decision.

Trudeau’s team says bullying and intimidation tactics by Ianno prompted the decision to bar Innes from running for the byelection nomination in Trinity-Spadina and from seeking a nomination in any riding for the 2015 general election.

Trudeau has defended the move as necessary to demonstrate that party infighting will no longer be tolerated.

However, Innes maintains she’s being punished for refusing to rule out running for the 2015 nomination in the new downtown Toronto riding of University-Rosedale, where Trudeau’s handpicked star recruit, Chrystia Freeland, intends to run.